Arrangement for affixing objects to travelling sheets

ABSTRACT

A conveyor advance printed sheets in a given path and a supply arrangement supplies objects which are to be affixed to the sheets, provides a line of adhesive on each object and contacts the object with it line of adhesive to a respective sheet so as to affix the object thereto.

July 30, 1974 H. MULLER 3,826,706

ARRANGEMENT FOR AFFIXING OBJECTS TO TRAVELLING SHEETS Filed Aug. 7. 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. W

July 30, 1974 H. MULLER ARRANGEMENT FOR AFFIXING OBJECTS TO TRAVELLING sxmms 4 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7. 1972 Fig. 2

Will" ELK H July 30, 1974 v H. MULLER 3,326,706

ARRANGEMENT FOR AFFIXING OBJECTS TO TRAVELLING SHEETS Filed Aug. 7. 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

July 30, 1974 H. MULLER 3,825,705.

ARRANGEMENT FOR AFFIXING OBJECTS TO TRAVELLING SHEETS Filed Aug. 7. 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 "United States Patent O land Filed Aug. 7, 1972, Ser. No. 278,651 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Aug. 13, 1971, 11,964/71 Int. Cl. B65c 9/00, 11/04 US. Cl. 156-566 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A conveyor advances printed sheets in a given path and a supply arrangement supplies objects which are to be afiixed to the sheets, provides a line of adhesive on each object and contacts the object with its line of adhesive to a respective sheet so as to aflix the object thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is becoming more and more common to provide printed matter, such as magazines, brochures, and the like, with supplementary objects, such as advertising sheets and the like. Evidently there are various ways in which this can be done. For instance, such objects can simply be placed between the pages of the printed material, they can be bound into the printed material, they can be folded and interrelieved with the same. In the latter case the supplementary object must obviously be always supplied in folded form, which is not always possible and in any case requires a folding operation. Simply placing the objects loosely between the pages has the disadvantage that they can readily fall out. The prior art have proposed an alternative approach to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, namely to adhesively connect the object with the printed matter, an operation which was carried out manually. Evidently, this is time consuming and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for affixing with substantially flat objects to travelling sheets in a novel and reliable manner.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement which requires no manual labor.

In pursuance of these objects, and of others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, in an arrangement of the character here described, in the provision of advancing means for advancing respective sheets in a path, and supply means for supplying substantially fiat objects which are to be affixed to respective ones of the sheets. Engaging means engages respective ones of the objects and applicator means apply the line of adhesive to the respective engaged object. Afiixing means contacts the thus applied line of adhesive on the respective engaged object to one of the sheets first to aflix the object to the sheet.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

3,825,706 Patented July 30, 1974 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view illustrating an arrangement embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a detail of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow II, on an enlarged scale and with the cover K omitted;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III--III of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing the embodiment in FIGS. 1-4 in detail it will be seen that reference numeral 1 generally identifies a unit of a collating apparatus known from the art and serving to bring together respective printed sheets first from a printed article, such as a magazine, brochure or the like. Reference numeral 2 identifies a main drive shaft which acts upon the element 1 so that the latter will sequentially withdraw bi-folded printed sheets B from a stack 3 and deposit them on a substantially horizontal conveying unit 4.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, the conveying unit 4 utilizes two endless parallel chains 5 which are arranged for spacing fromone another and have respective outer edge faces which are inclined upwardly so that the cross section defined by them is substantially triangular or roof-shaped. Located at a lateral side of the conveyor 4 which is opposite the side where the unit 1 is provided, there is a support 6 carrying a frame 7. Turnably mounted in the frame 7 is a drive shaft 8 which is driven by the main shaft 2 via a non-illustrated angle drive in the support 6 and a chain 40.

Mounted for rotation with but not relative to the shaft 8 is an engaging drum 9 which is constituted by a plurality of disks mounted with spacing from one another on the shaft 8. Each of the disks has a portion of a larger radius and portion of a smaller radius. Also mounted on the shaft 8, but not separately illustrated, are cam-controlled grippers which are located between the respective disks and which, during each rotation of the shaft 8, withdraw the respectively lowermost substantially flat object pin from a stack of such objects which is supported on a table 11. The latter extends in parallelism with the shaft 8. Details of how the engagement and withdrawal of the objects 10 is effected, and of the construction of the grippers and cam controls, are not required in the context of the present invention because they do not form a part of the present invention. It will sufiice to point out that after the respective lowermost object 10 has been withdrawn from the stack, it will contact that circumferential region of the drum 9 which has the larger radius.

FIG. 1 shows particularly clearly that the axis of the shaft 8 extends at a right angle to the direction in which sheets B are conveyed by the conveyor 4; it also shows that the shaft 8 extends in parallelism with one of the flanks of the conveyor 4, that is with one of the upwardly and inwardly inclined side edges of the chain 5 facing towards the support 6. The spacing of the drum 9, or rather of the periphery of the drum 9 from the adjacent chain 5 is so selected that a sheet B which straddles the two chains 5 so that its two sections (created by bifolding) hang down with the fold for being located at the top, will extend at a tangent. to the larger portion of the drum circumference. The drive speed is so selected that the angular velocity of the drum 9 equals the speed at which the conveyor 4 advances the sheets B.

The drum 9 is also provided with a circumferential groove 12 with which in operation a line of adhesive applied to the respective object 10 will become juxtaposed.

As shown, particularly in FIG. 2;, the object 10 will be pressed against the sheet B to which it is to be secured, laterally of the line of adhesive. The drum 9 can be axially displaced so that the objects 10 can be adhesively secured to the respective sheets B at a freely selectable spacing from the fold provided in the latter. When the drum 9 is moved upwardly to its left in FIG. 1, or downwardly to its right in that Figure, then the inclined surface of the chain 5 which is closest to the drum line will under all circumstances constitute the contact surface against which the drum periphery can press the respective object and the sheet B to which it is to be secured.

To be able to secure an object 10 to a sheet B, the object 10 must be provided with a strip or line of adhesive. This is accomplished by the arrangement which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2-4. Reference numeral 14 in FIG. 3 designates an applicator wheel whose peripheral or edge face is continuously provided with a film of adhesive. The peripheral or edge face of the wheel 14 can be brought in contact with the drum 9 in order to apply a line or strip of adhesive to the respecive object 10 which is held on the periphery of the drum 9. The wheel 14 is driven so as to have the same angular velocity as the drum 9 and is permitted to contact the latter only over that portion of the drum periphery on which an object 10 is held.

A gear 15 is mounted on the shaft 8 to turn with but not relative to the same and cams with a gear 16 which is connected via a coupling 17 with a gear 18. FIG. 4 shows, the coupling 17 comprises a leaf spring 19 provided on the gear 18 and acting to bias a pin 20 which is axially slidable in the gear 18, into a conical recess in the gear 16.

Two shafts 21 and 22 are turnably journalled in the frame 7 and a gear 23 and a dipping wheel 24 are mounted on the shaft 21 for rotation therewith. An additional gear 25 and an intermediate wheel 26 are mounted for rotation with the shaft 22. FIG. 2 shows that the gear 25 cams with the gears 18 and 23.

Eccentric journals 32 and 33 are provided for the shafts 21 and 22, respectively (see FIG. 3) to permit adjustment of the distances between the wheels 24 and 26 on the one hand, and the wheels 24 and =14 on the other hand. The distance between the wheel 24 and the wheel 26 is so selected that the film of adhesive which is engaged by the periphery of the wheel 24 as the latter dips into a body of adesi've accommodated in a reservoir 27 (see FIG. 2) will be transmitted during rotation to the peripheral or circumferential surface of the intermediate wheel 26. From there it is transmitted to the peripheral or edge face of the wheel 14, in the same manner as the transmission takes place between the wheels 24 and 26.

An arm 28 is pivotably mounted on the shaft 22 and on the free end of this arm there is turnably journalled in a carbon bearing 29 a shaft 30 which parallels the shafts 2 1 and 22 and which carries the wheel 14 as well as a gear 31 which cams with the gear 25. Arm 34 is also provided on the arm 28, carrying a. turnably journalled roller 35 which constitutes the follower roller of a cam track 36 constituted by two cam disks 36' and 36 mounted on the shaft 8 and each having a radius r over approximately 115 of arc and a radius r over approximately 210 of arc (see FIG. 2). The cam disks 36' and 36" can be rotated on the shaft 8 with reference to one another, and of course can be locked (by wellknown and not illustrated means in their selected positions) in order to thereby vary the length of that portion of the cam track 36 which has the radius r It is pointed out that the length of the portion of arc having the radius r as well as its relative angular position with respect to the drum 9, determines the beginning and the end of an applied line of adhesive, that is a strip of adhesive which is applied to an object F10. The reason for this is, evidently, that when the roller 35 contacts the cam track 36 in the region of the radius r the wheel 14 contacts the drum 9 or rather the object 10 thereon, and will be lifted off out of engagement with the object 10 as the roller 35 moves to the portion of the cam track '36 which has the radius r It is possible to use adhesives which do not require heating. However, there are instances when it is necessary or perhaps preferred to use so-called hot-melt" adhesives. To make the use of the latter types of adhesives possible, the reservoir 27 Which'is mounted on the frame 7, and the arm 28 are provided with non-illustrativeelements which can be thermostatically controlled in order to maintain the adhesive in reservoir 27, wheels 24 and 26, and wheel 14, at the necessary temperature. Such heating means and the thermostatic controls therefor are too well known per se to require detailed description.

From what has been set forth above the operation of the novel arrangement according to the present invention will already be obvious. The suction devices S of which one is illustrated in broken lines in FIG. '2'

will withdraw the respective lowermost object 10 from the stack on the table 11, transferring the thus withdrawn object 10 to the gripperslof the drum 9 which during its rotation withdraws the engaged object 10 completely from the stack and carries it on the drum'periphery past the wheel 14 which receives a film of adhesive on its edge face via the wheels 26 and- 24. In that sector of the drum 9 in which the object 10 is in engagement with the drum 9, that is where it overlies the periphery of the drum -9, the roller 35 will contact the cam track 36 over the portion of arc thereof having the radius r As a result of this the wheel 14 is pivoted towards the drum 9 into engagement with the object 10 thereon, and applies a line of adhesive on the object by rolling on the same. As soon as the leading edge of the object- -10 reaches the sheet B on the chains '5, it is released by the drum 9 and pressed by the circumference of the latter against the sheet B whereby it adheres via the applied line of adhesive to this sheet. I

According to a further concept of the invention I may use a photoelectric cell 39, mounted on the frame 7 and oriented towards the axis of the drum 9. A reflector 7 may be provided on the drum 9, cooperating with the photocell 39 in order to produce in the latter a signal in response to the absence of an object 10 on the circumference of the drum 9. Such a signal may activate a known non-illustrated ejecting device which will then eject the sheet B (which should have been but is not now provided with an object 10) in known manner. In such a case the wheel 14 enters partially into the groove 12, thus preventing the application of adhesive to the drum 9 per se.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an arrangement for afiixing objects to travelling sheets, it is not intended to be'limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made Without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. I

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the stand.- point of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equiv a lence of the following claims. 1

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. An arrangement of the character described, comprising advancing means for advancing respective bi:

folded sheets in a path, said advancing means comprising chain-conveyor means having a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration in direction transversely to said path and being straddled by said bi-folded sheets; supply means for supplying substantially flat objects which are to be affixed to respective ones of said sheets; engaging means for engaging respective ones of said objects; applicator means for applying a line of adhesive to the respective engaged object; and affixing means for contacting the thus applied line of adhesive on the respective engaged object to one of said sheets so as to affix such object to the sheet.

2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, said supply means comprising support means for supporting a stack of said objects; and wherein said engaging means comprises an engaging drum mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation paralleling one side of the triangular cross-section of said chain-conveyor means and operative for engaging one of said objects during each revolution, and a suction arm pivotable between a position gripping one of said objects and a position releasing the gripped object for engaging by said engaging drum so as to overlie a portion of the periphery of the latter.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2, said applicator means comprising a reservoir for a body of adhesive, a disk member having a circumferential edge adapted to receive adhesive from said reservoir and being mounted for rotation about an axis paralleling the axis of rotation of said drum, a mounting arm mounting said disk member for pivoting movement toward and away from said drum, and cam means controlling movement of said arm so that said disk member contacts only the object on said portion of the periphery of said drum, to thereby apply to said object a line of adhesive.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, wherein the periphery of said drum and said one side of said chainconveyor means define with one another a gap through which the respective sheets and objects pass; and wherein said affixing means comprises rotating means for rotating said drum so as to effect passage of an object with an applied line of adhesive through said gap whereby said line of adhesive contacts a respective sheet.

5. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, said applicator means further comprising drive means for driving said disk member in rotation at an angular velocity corresponding to that of said drum.

6. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, said applicator means further a dipping wheel having a circumferential portion and mounted for rotation so as to dip with said circumferential portion into the body of adhesive in said reservoir, and a transfer wheel also mounted for rotation and arranged to engage both said circumferential portion and said circumferential edge so as to transfer adhesive from said dipping Wheel to said disk member.

7. An arrangement as defined in claim 6; and further comprising heating means for heating at least one of said reservoir, dipping wheel, transfer wheel and disk member.

8. An arrangement as defined in claim 6; and further comprising adjustable means operative for adjusting the distances between said dipping wheel and transfer wheel, and between said transfer wheel and said disk member, respectively.

9. An arrangement as defined in claim 8, said dipping wheel and said transfer wheel each having a shaft defining an axis of rotation for the respective wheel; and wherein said adjustable means comprises eccentric journals journalling the respective shafts for rotation.

11 An arrangement as defined. in claim 3; and further comprising mounting means mounting said engaging drum for displacement axially of said axis of rotation thereof.

11. An arrangement as defined. in claim 3; and further comprising detecting means for detecting the absence of an object from said portion of said periphery of said drum, and for generating a signal in response to such detection.

12. An arrangement as defined in claim 11, wherein said detecting means comprises a reflector provided on said portion of said periphery and for reflecting light in the absence of an overlying object thereon, and a photoelectric cell positioned for receiving light reflected by said reflector and generating a signal in response to such reception.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,983,547 12/1934 Knowlton 156-578 DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

